Design device, design method, and design program

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to realize a design device that allows a user to understand the basis on which a system configuration was arrived at. This design device comprises an output means, a design means for designing a provisional system including a first candidate element, and a determination means for determining whether or not the provisional system satisfies a constraint condition, wherein: the design means executes re-design processing to include a second candidate element in the provisional system if the determination means determines that the constraint condition is satisfied; the determination means executes re-determination processing for determining whether or not the provisional system subjected to the re-design processing satisfies a plurality of constraint conditions; and the output means outputs success information, first failure information, and second failure information.

Description

Design device, design method, and design program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a design apparatus, a design method, and a design program.

[0002] Technologies related to system design have been researched and developed for some time. For example, a system design device described in Patent Document 1 determines whether a target system configuration, which is one of the candidates for system design, can satisfy constraints. If it determines that the target system configuration cannot satisfy the constraints, the system design device excludes the target system configuration from the candidates for system design. The system design device also applies instantiation rules to the candidates for system design that can satisfy the constraints.

[0003] International Publication No. 2023 / 209994

[0004] The system design device described in Patent Document 1 transmits information indicating that the system design has failed to an input / output unit. However, this information does not include information such as the system configuration determined to be unable to satisfy the constraints, or the constraints that caused the system design failure. In fact, the information transmitted from the system design device indicating that the system design has failed is not information regarding the incomplete system configuration that was designed at an intermediate stage before the application of the reification rules. Therefore, there is a problem in that the user cannot understand the reason why the system configuration after the application of the reification rules has turned out that way.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an exemplary purpose thereof is to provide a technology that enables a user to understand the basis for completing a system configuration.

[0006] A design apparatus according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes output means, design means for designing an incomplete provisional system including first candidate elements that are candidates for a system configuration, and determination means for determining whether the provisional system designed by the design means satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration, wherein the design means, when the determination means determines that the provisional system satisfies the plurality of constraints, executes a redesign process to include second candidate elements that are candidates for the system configuration in the provisional system, and the determination means executes a re-determination process to determine whether the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process satisfies the plurality of constraints. The output means outputs success information including the configuration of the completed system in a completed state designed by the design means, first failure information including the judgment result of the judgment means, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint condition when the judgment means makes a first non-satisfaction judgment that the provisional system does not satisfy a first constraint condition of the plurality of constraint conditions, and second failure information including the judgment result of the judgment means, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process, and the second constraint condition when the judgment means makes a second non-satisfaction judgment that the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process does not satisfy a second constraint condition of the plurality of constraint conditions.

[0007] A design method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure is a design method executed by one or more computers, and includes: an output step; a design step of designing an incomplete provisional system including a first candidate element that is a candidate for a system configuration; and a determination step of determining whether the provisional system designed in the design step satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration. In the design step, if a satisfaction determination is made in the determination step that the plurality of constraints are satisfied, a redesign process is executed to include a second candidate element that is a candidate for the system configuration in the provisional system, and in the determination step, a determination is made as to whether the provisional system subjected to the redesign process satisfies the plurality of constraints. In the output step, success information including the configuration of the completed system in a completed state designed in the design step, first failure information including the judgment result in the judgment step, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint condition when a first non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step that a first constraint condition of the plurality of constraint conditions is not satisfied, and second failure information including the judgment result in the judgment step, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign processing, and the second constraint condition when a second non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step that a second constraint condition of the plurality of constraint conditions is not satisfied are output.

[0008] An exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes a design program for causing a computer to operate as the design device.

[0009] According to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, an exemplary effect is achieved in that a technology is provided that allows a user to understand the basis for completing a system configuration.

[0010] 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a design apparatus according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 201 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 202 is a diagram showing an example of an instantiation pattern according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 203 is a diagram showing another example of an instantiation pattern according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 204 is a diagram showing another example of an instantiation pattern according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 205 is a diagram showing another example of a provisional system according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 206 is a diagram showing another example of a provisional system according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 207 is a diagram showing an example of a completed system according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 208 is a diagram showing an example of success information according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 209 is a diagram showing an example of failure information according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 2101 is a diagram showing an example of analysis information according to the present disclosure. Reference numeral 2122 is a diagram showing a flow of a design method according to the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a design apparatus according to the present disclosure. Reference numerals 1201 and 1202 are diagrams showing an example of analysis information according to the present disclosure.

[0011] The following are examples of embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown below, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. For example, embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technologies (part or all of the products or methods) employed in the exemplary embodiments shown below may also be included in the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, embodiments obtained by appropriately omitting some of the technologies employed in the exemplary embodiments shown below may also be included in the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the effects mentioned in the exemplary embodiments shown below are examples of effects expected in the exemplary embodiments, and do not define the scope of the present invention. In other words, embodiments that do not exhibit the effects mentioned in the exemplary embodiments shown below may also be included in the scope of the present invention.

[0012] [First Exemplary Embodiment] A first exemplary embodiment, which is an example of an embodiment of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. This exemplary embodiment is a basic form for each of the exemplary embodiments described below. Note that the scope of application of each technique employed in this exemplary embodiment is not limited to this exemplary embodiment. That is, each technique employed in this exemplary embodiment can also be employed in other exemplary embodiments included in the present disclosure, to the extent that no particular technical obstacles arise. Furthermore, each technique shown in the drawings referenced to explain this exemplary embodiment can also be employed in other exemplary embodiments included in the present disclosure, to the extent that no particular technical obstacles arise.

[0013] (Configuration of the design device) The configuration of the design device 1 will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 9. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the design device 1. Reference numeral 201 in Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a system configuration. Reference numerals 202 and 203 in Fig. 2 are diagrams showing examples of instantiation patterns. Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrams showing examples of other provisional systems. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a completed system. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of success information. Figs. 7 to 9 are diagrams showing examples of failure information. In Figs. 2 to 5, the components of each system are shown with circles, and the relationships between the components are shown with arrows.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the design device 1 includes an input unit 2, an output unit 3 (output means), a storage unit 4, and a control unit 5. The input unit 2 accepts various operations by a user. The output unit 3 outputs various information. Specific processing details of the output unit 3 will be described later. The storage unit 4 stores various information used by the design device 1. The control unit 5 comprehensively controls each unit of the design device 1. The control unit 5 includes a design unit 51 (design means), a determination unit 52 (determination means), and an organizing / editing unit 53.

[0015] The design unit 51 designs a provisional system, which is an incomplete system that includes candidate elements. Candidate elements are components that are candidates for the system configuration. An example of a system configuration is shown in reference numeral 201 in FIG. 2. System configuration 6 shown in reference numeral 201 in FIG. 2 includes multiple components indicated by circles, and the components have relationships indicated by arrows. Note that, because reference numeral 201 in FIG. 2 shows an image of the system configuration, explanations of each component and the types of relationships will be omitted.

[0016] The design unit 51 designs a provisional system by adding or replacing candidate elements according to a concretization pattern. A concretization pattern specifies candidate elements that can be added to or replaced with a specific candidate element. A concretization pattern may include relationships between candidate elements. For example, concretization pattern 7A indicated by reference numeral 202 in FIG. 2 indicates a concretization pattern in which a candidate element "OS" is replaced with a candidate element "Win" or "Linux (registered trademark)." Furthermore, concretization pattern 7B indicated by reference numeral 203 in FIG. 2 indicates a concretization pattern in which a candidate element "Machine" is added to the candidate element "OS" and a relationship "Hosted_on" is added.

[0017] The provisional system is designed by the design department 51 at an intermediate stage until the design of the complete system is completed. In the following description, when simply referred to as a "provisional system," this "provisional system" refers to an early-stage system that includes only one type of candidate element. On the other hand, an incomplete system that includes two or more types of candidate elements will be referred to as a "provisional system that has undergone a redesign process (details will be described later)" or an "other provisional system." Furthermore, the "provisional system" and the "provisional system that has undergone a redesign process (other provisional systems)" will be collectively referred to as the "total provisional system."

[0018] In the following description, only one type of candidate element included in the "provisional system" will be referred to as the "first candidate element." Furthermore, candidate elements other than the first candidate element included in the "provisional system that has undergone the redesign process (another provisional system)" will be referred to as the "second candidate element." In other words, the "first candidate element" and the "second candidate element" are different components.

[0019] The determination unit 52 determines whether the provisional system designed by the design unit 51 satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration. The constraints are conditions that the first candidate element or the second candidate element must satisfy.

[0020] In the first exemplary embodiment, total constraint information indicating the contents of a plurality of constraints imposed on the completed system is stored in advance as a database in the storage unit 4. The total constraint information includes multiple types of constraint information indicating the contents of each individual constraint. The total constraint information may be stored in, for example, a server (not shown).

[0021] When the determination unit 52 determines that the provisional system satisfies the multiple constraints, the design unit 51 executes a redesign process to include the second candidate element in the provisional system. Furthermore, the design unit 51 continues the redesign process until the provisional system becomes a completed system in a completed state. The determination unit 52 executes a re-determination process to determine whether the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process satisfies the multiple constraints. Furthermore, the determination unit 52 continues the re-determination process until the provisional system becomes a completed system. Note that it is not essential for the design unit 51 to continue the redesign process. Similarly, it is not essential for the determination unit 52 to continue the re-determination process.

[0022] For example, assuming that the design department 51 designs the completed system 9 shown in Figure 5, if the provisional system that has undergone the redesign process becomes provisional system 8A shown in Figure 3, parts X1 and X2 will be unfinished parts. Part X1 is a second candidate element added to the provisional system before the redesign process and is the cause of the second unsatisfied judgment made by the re-evaluation process. The second unsatisfied judgment is a judgment that the provisional system that has undergone the redesign process (provisional system 8A in this example) does not satisfy the second constraint condition among the multiple constraint conditions. Part X2 is a part of the provisional system before the redesign process that has not been realized by adding or replacing the second candidate element.

[0023] Here, "concretization" refers to the configuration of the provisional system to which the second candidate element is added becoming closer to the configuration of the completed system compared to the provisional system before the second candidate element was added (before the redesign process was performed). The design unit 51 concretizes the provisional system by adding or replacing the second candidate element according to the concretization pattern. The concretization pattern may be stored in the storage unit 4, for example.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the provisional system 8A. As shown in FIG. 3, the provisional system 8A includes candidate elements such as "WebSystem," "AppServer," "Database," "Web App," "OS," "ExpressR120," "DBS," and "Data." The candidate elements have relationships such as "Include," "Conn_to," and "Hosted_on." In the example of FIG. 3, the design unit 51 stores configuration information indicating the configuration of the provisional system 8A in the storage unit 4. The design unit 51 also discards the portion X1 and returns the provisional system 8A to its configuration before the redesign process. Furthermore, the determination unit 52 stores in the storage unit 4 failure condition information indicating the content of the second constraint condition that was the basis for the design unit 51 to discard the part X1.

[0025] Furthermore, when the provisional system that has undergone the redesign process becomes provisional system 8B shown in Figure 4, parts X3 and X4 become incomplete parts. Provisional system 8B is a part in which a second candidate element has been added to part X5, which corresponds to part X1 of provisional system 8A. Part X3 is a second candidate element that was added to the provisional system before provisional system 8B was designed, and is the cause of the second unsatisfactory determination made by the re-evaluation process. As shown in Figure 4, part X3 has a second candidate element "DBS" that is included ("Include") in the second candidate element "Database" added. Furthermore, part X4 is a part of the provisional system before provisional system 8B was designed that was not concretized by adding the second candidate element. Also, in part X5, the second candidate elements on which the two second candidate elements "OS" are hosted ("Hosted_on") are replaced with two second candidate elements "Machine" (physical machines), and a second candidate element "Switch" to which each second candidate element "Machine" is connected ("Conn_to") is added.

[0026] 4 , the design unit 51 stores configuration information indicating the configuration of the provisional system 8B in the storage unit 4. The design unit 51 also discards the part X3 and returns the provisional system 8B to the configuration before the redesign process was performed. The determination unit 52 also stores failure condition information indicating the content of the second constraint condition that was the basis for the design unit 51 discarding the part X3 in the storage unit 4.

[0027] The design unit 51 repeats the above-described series of processes and sequentially adds a plurality of types of second candidate elements while taking into account the determination results of the determination unit 52. In this way, the design unit 51 gradually embodies the provisional system until the design of the completed system (in the examples of FIGS. 3 and 4 , the completed system 9 shown in FIG. 5 ) is completed.

[0028] The organizing / editing unit 53 organizes and edits all configuration information and all failure condition information stored in the storage unit 4 into first failure information and second failure information. The first failure information is information including the judgment result of the judgment unit 52, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint condition when the judgment unit 52 makes a first unsatisfied judgment. The first unsatisfied judgment is a judgment that the provisional system does not satisfy the first constraint condition among the multiple constraint conditions. The second failure information is information including the judgment result of the judgment unit 52, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process, and the second constraint condition when the judgment unit 52 makes a second unsatisfied judgment.

[0029] The first constraint is a constraint that is not satisfied by the first candidate element included in the provisional system. The second constraint is a constraint that is not satisfied by the second candidate element included in the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process. In the following description, the "first constraint" and the "second constraint" are collectively referred to as the "total constraint." Note that the first constraint and the second constraint may be different or may be the same.

[0030] There are no particular limitations on the method of organizing and editing by the organizing and editing unit 53, and any method may be used as long as the information is organized and edited in a manner that is easy for the user to analyze. Furthermore, the control unit 5 does not need to include the organizing and editing unit 53. In this case, for example, the output unit 3 may execute the organizing and editing process on the first failure information and the second failure information.

[0031] The output unit 3 outputs success information, first failure information, and second failure information. The success information is information including the configuration of the completed system designed by the design unit 51. Below, the output mode of the output unit 3 will be described using an example in which the output unit 3 is the display unit shown in Figures 6 to 9 and the design unit 51 has designed the completed system 9 shown in Figure 5.

[0032] The output unit 3 can output (display) success information SIF as shown in Figure 6. In the example of Figure 6, the output unit 3 outputs (displays) a success image SIF-1 and text information SIF-2 that make up the success information SIF all at once. The success image SIF-1 is an image that shows the configuration of the completed system 9. The text information SIF-2 is text data that describes the components of the completed system 9 and the relationships between the components. Note that the success information SIF may include other information about the completed system 9 in addition to the success image SIF-1 and text information SIF-2, or instead of the text information SIF-2.

[0033] The output unit 3 can also output first failure information FIF-A and second failure information FIF-B as shown in Fig. 7. In the example of Fig. 7, the output unit 3 outputs (displays) the first failure information FIF-A and the second failure information FIF-B together as configuration list information FIF-1 and condition list information FIF-2. The configuration list information FIF-1 is a text-format list of the total provisional systems that failed to be instantiated. The condition list information FIF-2 is a text-format list of the total constraint conditions when instantiation failed.

[0034] Here, each of the configuration list information FIF-1 and the condition list information FIF-2 is given a title indicating that the instantiation has failed. This title corresponds to the determination result of the determination unit 52 included in each of the first failure information FIF-A and the second failure information FIF-B.

[0035] Furthermore, the output unit 3 can output first failure information FIF-C and second failure information FIF-D as shown in Fig. 8. In the example of Fig. 8, the output unit 3 outputs (displays) the first failure information FIF-C and the second failure information FIF-D together as pre-application configuration information FIF-3, post-application configuration information FIF-4, and failure condition information FIF-5.

[0036] The pre-application configuration information FIF-3 is an image of the configuration of the provisional system that failed to be instantiated or another provisional system before the failure. The post-application configuration information FIF-4 is an image of the configuration of the provisional system that failed to be instantiated or another provisional system at the time of failure. The failure condition information FIF-5 is text data of the first constraint condition or the second constraint condition when instantiation failed. The failure condition information FIF-5 is given a title that indicates that instantiation failed. This title corresponds to the determination result of the determination unit 52 included in each of the first failure information FIF-C and the second failure information FIF-D.

[0037] By organizing and editing the contents of the first failure information and second failure information as in the example of Figure 8, the user can easily understand what constraints will not be satisfied if the provisional system is configured in a certain way.

[0038] Furthermore, the output unit 3 can output first failure information FIF-E and second failure information FIF-F as shown in Fig. 9. In the example of Fig. 9, the output unit 3 classifies the configurations of the total provisional system that failed to be instantiated by pattern, and outputs (displays) them together with the failure condition information as first failure information FIF-E and second failure information FIF-F.

[0039] Specifically, the output unit 3 outputs failure condition information FIF-6 that is common to all of the aforementioned patterns. Here, the failure condition information FIF-6 is given a title indicating that instantiation has failed. This title corresponds to the determination result of the determination unit 52, which is included in each of the first failure information FIF-E and the second failure information FIF-D. Furthermore, the output unit 3 outputs (displays) combinations of pre-application configuration information and post-application configuration information in a list format, for each of the aforementioned patterns. In the example of FIG. 9 , the output unit 3 outputs (displays) a combination of pre-application configuration information FIF-7 and post-application configuration information FIF-8 for the pattern "instantiation of AP in a single instance." Furthermore, the output unit 3 outputs (displays) a combination of pre-application configuration information FIF-9 and post-application configuration information FIF-10 for the pattern "instantiation of DBS in a single instance." By sorting and editing the contents of the first failure information and the second failure information as in the example of FIG. 9, the user can easily cover the contents of examples of failure in concretization, the tendency of failure in concretization, and the like.

[0040] The output unit 3 may collectively output (collectively display) the success information SIF shown in Fig. 6 and the first failure information and second failure information shown in any of Figs. 7 to 9. That is, the output unit 3 may output the success information, the first failure information, and the second failure information in any output format as long as the output format allows the user to understand the basis for the completion of the system configuration.

[0041] (Effects of the Design Device) As described above, the design device 1 employs a configuration in which the output unit 3 outputs success information, first failure information, and second failure information. Therefore, with the design device 1, the user can understand the design process through which the completed system was completed, simply by checking the output results of the output unit 3. This provides the effect of allowing the user to understand the basis for the completion of the system configuration.

[0042] (Flow of Design Method) The flow of design method S1 will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing the flow of design method S1. First, in S11, the design unit 51 acquires first candidate element information. The first candidate element information is information indicating the contents of first candidate elements that may be included in the initial-stage provisional system. In the first exemplary embodiment, the input unit 2, which has received an input operation of the first candidate element by the user, transmits the first candidate element information to the design unit 51, thereby causing the design unit 51 to acquire the first candidate element information. However, the acquisition of the first candidate element information by the design unit 51 is not limited to the above example. For example, data on multiple types of candidate elements may be pre-stored in the storage unit 4, and the design unit 51 may sequentially select one type from this data and read it from the storage unit 4.

[0043] In S12 (design step), the design unit 51, which has acquired the first candidate element information, designs a provisional system. The design unit 51 also transmits configuration information of the designed provisional system (hereinafter referred to as “first configuration information”) to the determination unit 52.

[0044] In S13 (determination step), the determination unit 52 determines whether the plurality of constraints are satisfied based on the acquired first configuration information. Specifically, the determination unit 52 determines whether the configuration of the provisional system satisfies the plurality of constraints by reading the total constraint information from the storage unit 4. Note that the total constraint information does not need to be stored in the storage unit 4. For example, the input unit 2 may accept an input operation of the total constraint information by a user, thereby causing the determination unit 52 to acquire the total constraint information from the input unit 2. Furthermore, for example, the total constraint information may be included in each of the first candidate element information and the second candidate element information (described later) acquired by the design unit 51. In this case, the design unit 51 includes the total constraint information in each of the first configuration information and the second configuration information (described later) and transmits them to the determination unit 52. The determination unit 52 then acquires the total constraint information by receiving the first configuration information and the second configuration information from the design unit 51.

[0045] If the answer is NO in S13, the determination unit 52 stores the first configuration information in the storage unit 4 (S14). The determination unit 52 also stores first constraint condition information indicating the contents of the first constraint condition as failure condition information in the storage unit 4 (S14). Furthermore, the determination unit 52 transmits information to the design unit 51 indicating that the configuration of the provisional system does not satisfy the multiple constraint conditions. Having acquired this information, the design unit 51 discards the provisional system that it designed. After completing the processing of S14, the design device 1 again executes the processing from S11 onwards. On the other hand, if the answer is YES in S13, the determination unit 52 transmits information to the design unit 51 indicating that the configuration of the provisional system satisfies the multiple constraint conditions.

[0046] In S15, the design unit 51 acquires second candidate element information. The second candidate element information is information indicating the contents of second candidate elements that may be included in other provisional systems. The method for acquiring the second candidate element information is the same as the acquisition method in S11.

[0047] In S16 (design step), the design unit 51, which has acquired the second candidate element information, redesigns the other provisional system (redesign process). The design unit 51 also transmits configuration information of the other provisional system that it has designed (hereinafter referred to as "second configuration information") to the determination unit 52.

[0048] In S17 (determination step), the determination unit 52 determines whether the configuration of the other provisional system satisfies the multiple constraints based on the acquired second configuration information. Specifically, the determination unit 52 determines whether the configuration of the other provisional system satisfies the multiple constraints by reading out the total constraint information from the storage unit 4. Note that, like the processing in S13, the acquisition of the total constraints by the determination unit 52 is not limited to the case where the total constraint information is read out from the storage unit 4.

[0049] If the answer is NO in S17, the determination unit 52 stores the second configuration information in the storage unit 4 (S18). The determination unit 52 also stores second constraint condition information indicating the contents of the second constraint condition as failure condition information in the storage unit 4 (S18). Furthermore, the determination unit 52 transmits information to the design unit 51 indicating that the configuration of the other provisional system does not satisfy the multiple constraint conditions. Having acquired this information, the design unit 51 discards the portion of the configuration of the other provisional system that it has designed, which corresponds to the second candidate element. After completing the process of S18, the design device 1 again executes the processes from S15 onwards. On the other hand, if the answer is YES in S17, the determination unit 52 transmits information to the design unit 51 indicating that the configuration of the other provisional system satisfies the multiple constraint conditions.

[0050] In S19, the design unit 51 determines whether the design of the completed system is complete. Specifically, the design unit 51 executes the above-described determination process by checking whether the other provisional system that has been designed includes all of the components that the completed system should have. Information indicating all of the components that the completed system should have may be stored in advance, for example, in the storage unit 4, or may be stored in advance in a memory (not shown) that the control unit 5 has.

[0051] If the answer is YES in S19, the design unit 51 regards the other provisional system that it has designed as a completed system, and transmits success information including the configuration of the other provisional system to the output unit 3. The design unit 51 may temporarily store the success information in the storage unit 4. In this case, the output unit 3 acquires the success information from the storage unit 4. The storage unit 4 also transmits the first configuration information, the second configuration information, and the failure condition information to the organizing and editing unit 53. On the other hand, if the answer is NO in S19, the design device 1 executes the processes from S15 onwards again.

[0052] In S110, the organizing / editing unit 53 organizes and edits the acquired first configuration information, second configuration information, and failure condition information into first failure information and second failure information. The organizing / editing unit 53 also transmits the organized and edited first failure information and second failure information to the output unit 3. In S111 (output step), the output unit 3 outputs the success information acquired from the design unit 51 and the first failure information and second failure information acquired from the organizing / editing unit 53. When the processing of S111 ends, the execution of the design method S1 ends.

[0053] (Effects of the Design Method) As described above, the design method S1 employs a configuration in which success information, first failure information, and second failure information are output in the output step S111. Therefore, according to the design method S1, the user can understand the design process through which the completed system was completed, simply by checking the output results of the output unit 3. This provides the effect of allowing the user to understand the basis for the completion of the system configuration.

[0054] Second Exemplary Embodiment A second exemplary embodiment, which is an example of an embodiment of the present invention, will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. Components having the same functions as those described in the above exemplary embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted as appropriate. The scope of application of each technique employed in this exemplary embodiment is not limited to this exemplary embodiment. That is, each technique employed in this exemplary embodiment can also be employed in other exemplary embodiments included in the present disclosure, to the extent that no particular technical hindrance occurs. Furthermore, each technique shown in each drawing referenced to describe this exemplary embodiment can also be employed in other exemplary embodiments included in the present disclosure, to the extent that no particular technical hindrance occurs.

[0055] (Configuration of Design Apparatus) The configuration of the design apparatus 1A will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the design apparatus 1A. As shown in FIG. 11, the design apparatus 1A differs from the design apparatus 1 in that it includes a display unit 3A instead of the output unit 3, and a control unit 5A instead of the control unit 5. Details of the display unit 3A will be described later. The control unit 5A includes an analysis unit 54 (analysis means) in addition to the design unit 51, determination unit 12, and organizing / editing unit 13 that the control unit 5 includes.

[0056] The analysis unit 54 analyzes, based on the success information and the first failure information, the configuration of the provisional system when the first unsatisfactory determination is made by the determination unit 52. Furthermore, the analysis unit 54 analyzes, based on the success information and the second failure information, the configuration of the provisional system (another provisional system) that has been subjected to the redesign process when the determination unit 52 makes the second unsatisfactory determination.

[0057] In the second exemplary embodiment, the analysis unit 54 extracts a first difference and a second difference. The first difference is the difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system when the determination unit 52 makes the first non-satisfaction determination. The second difference is the difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of another provisional system. Hereinafter, information indicating the content of the first difference will be referred to as "first difference information," and information indicating the content of the second difference will be referred to as "second difference information."

[0058] In the second exemplary embodiment, the analyzer 54 associates the extracted first difference with the first constraint condition, and associates the extracted second difference with the second constraint condition. Hereinafter, information indicating the content of the first constraint condition associated with the first difference will be referred to as "first failure condition information," and information indicating the content of the second constraint condition associated with the second difference will be referred to as "second failure condition information."

[0059] Furthermore, in a second exemplary embodiment, the analysis unit 54 generates a first analysis image based on the first configuration information and the first difference information when the determination unit 52 makes a first unsatisfactory determination. The first analysis image is an image in which the configuration of the provisional system when the determination unit 52 makes a first unsatisfactory determination and the first difference extracted by the analysis unit 54 are superimposed. The analysis unit 54 also generates a second analysis image based on the second configuration information and the second difference information when the determination unit 52 makes a second unsatisfactory determination. The second analysis image is an image in which the configuration of another provisional system when the determination unit 52 makes a second unsatisfactory determination and the second difference extracted by the analysis unit 54 are superimposed. Note that the organizing and editing unit 53 may perform at least one of the processes for generating the first analysis image and the second analysis image.

[0060] The display unit 3A displays analysis information indicating the analysis results of the analysis unit 54. The analysis information displayed by the display unit 3A is composed of a first analysis image, a second analysis image, first failure condition information, and second failure condition information. That is, in the second exemplary embodiment, the first analysis image, the second analysis image, the first failure condition information, and the second failure condition information constitute the analysis results of the analysis unit 54.

[0061] The display mode of the analysis information by the display unit 3A will be described below with reference to FIG. 12. In the example of FIG. 12, the display unit 3A displays the first analysis image IMG-1, the second analysis image IMG-2, the first failure condition information AIF-1, and the second failure condition information AIF-2 as the analysis information AIF. Specifically, as indicated by reference numeral 1201 in FIG. 12, the display unit 3A displays the first failure condition information AIF-1 and all of the second failure condition information AIF-2 in a list format. Furthermore, as indicated by reference numeral 1202 in FIG. 12, the display unit 3A displays the first analysis image IMG-1 in association with the first failure condition information AIF-1. Alternatively, the display unit 3A displays all of the second analysis images IMG-2 in association with the second failure condition information AIF-2.

[0062] In the first analysis image IMG-1 or the second analysis image IMG-2, portions X6, X7, and X8 correspond to the first difference or the second difference. Portion X6 is a portion that is not included as a component of the completed system, but is included as a component of the provisional system that failed to be realized or another provisional system. Portion X7 is a portion that is included as a component of the completed system, but is not included as a component of the provisional system that failed to be realized or another provisional system.

[0063] Like part X7, part X8 is also included as a component of the completed system, but is not included as a component of the provisional system whose realization failed or another provisional system. However, part X8 is a part that is not included in the provisional system or another provisional system, and was discarded because other parts did not satisfy the first constraint or the second constraint at a stage before part X8 was realized. In other words, part X8 differs from part X7 in that part X8, which is an intermediate part of part X8, is included as a component of the provisional system whose realization failed or another provisional system.

[0064] When the input unit 2 receives a screen switching operation by the user, the control unit 5 switches between the screen display shown by reference numeral 1201 in Fig. 12 and the screen display shown by reference numeral 1202 in Fig. 12. The display unit 3A may simultaneously display the display content shown by reference numeral 1201 in Fig. 12 and the display content shown by reference numeral 1201 in Fig. 12.

[0065] The output form of the analysis results of the analysis unit 54 does not need to be display on the display unit 3A. Any output form may be used as long as the user can grasp the basis for the completion of the design of the completed system. Furthermore, the display unit 3A does not need to display the first analysis image, the second analysis image, the first failure condition information, and the second failure condition information as analysis information. The content of the analysis information displayed by the display unit 3A may also be any content as long as the user can grasp the basis for the completion of the design of the completed system. Therefore, the analysis method of the analysis unit 54 is not limited to the method of extracting the first difference and the second difference described above.

[0066] (Effects of the Design Device) As described above, the design device 1A employs a configuration including an analysis unit 54 that analyzes each configuration of the provisional system that failed to be realized and other provisional systems. The design device 1A also employs a configuration in which the display unit 3A, i.e., the output unit, outputs the analysis results of the analysis unit 54 as analysis information. Therefore, the design device 1A allows the user to understand the basis for the completion of the design of the completed system, taking into account the basis obtained by overlooking the entire process leading up to the completion of the design. This provides the effect of allowing the user to more accurately understand the basis for the completion of the design of the completed system.

[0067] Furthermore, the design device 1A employs a configuration in which the analysis unit 54 associates the first difference information with the first failure condition information and associates the second difference information with the second failure condition information. Therefore, the design device 1A allows the user to clearly understand from the analysis information what kind of first candidate element, when selected under what constraint conditions, will result in failure to be implemented in the provisional system. Furthermore, the design device 1A allows the user to clearly understand from the analysis information what kind of second candidate element, when selected under what other constraint conditions, will result in failure to be implemented in another provisional system. This provides the advantage of allowing the user to more accurately understand the basis for completing the design of the completed system.

[0068] Furthermore, in design device 1A, display unit 3A is configured to display the first analysis image, the second analysis image, the first failure condition information, and the second failure condition information as analysis information. Therefore, design device 1A has the effect of allowing the user to more accurately grasp the basis for completing the design of the completed system simply by visually checking display unit 3A.

[0069] (Flow of Design Method) The flow of design method S2 will be described with reference to FIG. 13. FIG. 13 is a flow diagram showing the flow of design method S2. The processing contents of S21 to S210 are the same as the processing contents of S11 to S110. However, if the answer is YES in S29, the design unit 51 regards the other provisional system that it has designed as a completed system, and transmits success information including the configuration of the other provisional system to the analysis unit 54. Also, in S210, the organizing and editing unit 53 transmits the first failure information and second failure information that it has organized and edited to the analysis unit 54.

[0070] In S211, the analysis unit 54 analyzes the configuration of the other provisional system based on the success information acquired from the design unit 51 and the first failure information and second failure information acquired from the organizing and editing unit 53. In addition, the analysis unit 54 transmits the result of analyzing the configuration of the other provisional system as analysis information to the display unit 3A.

[0071] In S212, the display unit 3A displays the analysis information acquired from the analysis unit 54. When the process of S212 ends, the execution of the design method S2 ends.

[0072] [Example of Software Implementation] Some or all of the functions of the design devices 1 and 1A (hereinafter also referred to as "each of the aforementioned devices") may be implemented by hardware such as an integrated circuit (IC chip), or by software.

[0073] In the latter case, each of the aforementioned devices is realized by, for example, a computer that executes instructions of a program, which is software that realizes each function. An example of such a computer (hereinafter referred to as computer C) is shown in Figure 14. Figure 14 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of computer C that functions as each of the aforementioned devices.

[0074] The computer C includes at least one processor C1 and at least one memory C2. The memory C2 stores a program P for causing the computer C to function as each of the devices described above. In the computer C, the processor C1 reads and executes the program P from the memory C2, thereby realizing the functions of each of the devices described above.

[0075] The processor C1 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a micro processing unit (MPU), a floating point number processing unit (FPU), a physics processing unit (PPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), a quantum processor, a microcontroller, or a combination thereof. The memory C2 may be, for example, a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or a combination thereof.

[0076] The computer C may further include a RAM (Random Access Memory) for expanding the program P during execution and for temporarily storing various data. The computer C may also include a communication interface for transmitting and receiving data to and from other devices. The computer C may also include an input / output interface for connecting input / output devices such as a keyboard, a mouse, a display, and a printer.

[0077] The program P can also be recorded on a non-transitory, tangible recording medium M that can be read by the computer C. Such a recording medium M can be, for example, a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, or a programmable logic circuit. The computer C can acquire the program P via such a recording medium M. The program P can also be transmitted via a transmission medium. Such a transmission medium can be, for example, a communication network or broadcast waves. The computer C can also acquire the program P via such a transmission medium.

[0078] Furthermore, the functions of each of the above-mentioned devices may be realized by a single processor provided in a single computer, by multiple processors provided in a single computer working in cooperation, or by multiple processors provided in each of multiple computers working in cooperation. Furthermore, the programs for causing each of the above-mentioned devices to realize the functions may be stored in a single memory provided in a single computer, or may be distributed and stored in multiple memories provided in a single computer, or may be distributed and stored in multiple memories provided in each of multiple computers.

[0079] [Appendix 1] This disclosure includes the technologies described in the following appendices. However, the present invention is not limited to the technologies described in the following appendices, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0080] (Supplementary Note 1) A system for designing a provisional system in an incomplete state, the system including a first candidate element that is a candidate for a system configuration, and a determination means that determines whether or not the provisional system designed by the design means satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration, wherein the design means, when the determination means makes a satisfaction determination that the provisional system satisfies the plurality of constraints, executes a redesign process to include a second candidate element that is a candidate for the system configuration in the provisional system, and the determination means executes a re-determination process to determine whether or not the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process satisfies the plurality of constraints, and the output means outputs: success information including the configuration of the completed system in a completed state designed by the design means; and, when the determination means makes a first non-satisfaction determination that the provisional system does not satisfy a first constraint of the plurality of constraints, first failure information including the determination result of the determination means, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint. a design device that, when the determination means makes a second non-satisfaction determination that the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process does not satisfy a second constraint condition among the plurality of constraint conditions, outputs the determination result of the determination means, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process, and second failure information that includes the second constraint condition.

[0081] (Supplementary Note 2) The design device described in Supplementary Note 1 further comprises an analysis means for analyzing the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means based on the success information and the first failure information, and for analyzing the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process when the second non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means based on the success information and the second failure information, and the output means further outputs analysis information indicating the analysis results of the analysis means.

[0082] (Supplementary Note 3) The analysis means extracts a first difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means, and a second difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process when the judgment means makes the second non-satisfaction judgment, and associates the extracted first difference with the first constraint and the extracted second difference with the second constraint. This is the design device described in Supplementary Note 2.

[0083] (Supplementary Note 4) The design device according to Supplementary Note 3, wherein the output means displays, as the analysis information, a first analysis image that displays, in a superimposed manner, the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means and the first difference extracted by the analysis means; a second analysis image that displays, in a superimposed manner, the configuration of the provisional system after the redesign process is performed when the second non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means and the second difference extracted by the analysis means; and the first constraint condition and the second constraint condition.

[0084] (Supplementary Note 5) A design method executed by one or more computers, comprising: an output step; a design step of designing an incomplete provisional system including a first candidate element that is a candidate for a system configuration; and a determination step of determining whether or not the provisional system designed in the design step satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration, wherein in the design step, if a satisfaction determination that the plurality of constraints is satisfied is made in the determination step, a redesign process is executed to include a second candidate element that is a candidate for the system configuration in the provisional system, and in the determination step, a re-determination process is executed to determine whether or not the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process satisfies the plurality of constraints, and in the output step, success information including a configuration of the completed system in a completed state designed in the design step, and first failure information including the determination result in the determination step, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint, when a first non-satisfaction determination that a first constraint of the plurality of constraints is not satisfied is made in the determination step, A design method, in which, when a second non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step to indicate that the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process does not satisfy a second constraint condition among the plurality of constraint conditions, the judgment result in the judgment step, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process, and second failure information including the second constraint condition are output.

[0085] (Appendix 6) The design method described in Appendix 5 further includes an analysis step of analyzing the configuration of the provisional system when the first unsatisfactory judgment is made in the judgment step based on the success information and the first failure information, and analyzing the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process when the second unsatisfactory judgment is made in the judgment step based on the success information and the second failure information, and the output step further outputs analysis information indicating the analysis results of the analysis step.

[0086] (Supplementary Note 7) The design method described in Supplementary Note 6, wherein in the analysis step, a first difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step, and a second difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system after the redesign process is performed when the second non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step are extracted, and the extracted first difference is associated with the first constraint condition, and the extracted second difference is associated with the second constraint condition.

[0087] (Appendix 8) The design method according to Appendix 7, wherein in the output step, a first analysis image is displayed in which the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step and the first difference extracted in the analysis step are superimposed, a second analysis image is displayed in which the configuration of the provisional system after the redesign process is performed when the second non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step and the second difference extracted in the analysis step are superimposed, and the first constraint and the second constraint are displayed as the analysis information.

[0088] (Supplementary Note 9) A design program for causing a computer to operate as the design device according to any one of Supplementary Notes 1 to 4, the design program causing the computer to function as the output means, the design means, and the determination means.

[0089] [Appendix 2] This disclosure includes the techniques described in the following appendices. However, the present invention is not limited to the techniques described in the following appendices, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0090] (Supplementary Note 1) A system including at least one processor, the at least one processor executing: an output process; a design process for designing an incomplete provisional system including first candidate elements that are candidates for a system configuration; and a determination process for determining whether or not the provisional system designed in the design process satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration; in the design process, when the determination means determines that the provisional system satisfies the plurality of constraints, the at least one processor executes a redesign process for including second candidate elements that are candidates for the system configuration in the provisional system; in the determination process, the at least one processor executes a re-determination process for determining whether or not the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process satisfies the plurality of constraints; and in the output process, the at least one processor outputs: success information including the configuration of a completed system in a completed state designed by execution of the design process; a design device which outputs, when the execution of the judgment process results in a first non-satisfaction judgment that the provisional system does not satisfy a first constraint condition among the plurality of constraint conditions, first failure information including the judgment result of the judgment means, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint condition; and, when the execution of the judgment process results in a second non-satisfaction judgment that the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process does not satisfy a second constraint condition among the plurality of constraint conditions, second failure information including the judgment result of the judgment process, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process, and the second constraint condition.

[0091] The design device may further include a memory, and the memory may store a program for causing the at least one processor to execute each of the processes.

[0092] (Supplementary Note 2) The design device described in Supplementary Note 1 is characterized in that the at least one processor analyzes the configuration of the provisional system when the first unsatisfactory judgment is made by executing the judgment process based on the success information and the first failure information, and further performs an analysis process to analyze the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process when the second unsatisfactory judgment is made by executing the judgment process based on the success information and the second failure information, and in the output process, the at least one processor further outputs analysis information indicating the analysis results of the analysis process.

[0093] (Supplementary Note 3) In the analysis process, the at least one processor extracts a first difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made by executing the judgment process, and a second difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system to which the redesign process has been performed when the second non-satisfaction judgment is made by executing the judgment process, and associates the extracted first difference with the first constraint condition and the extracted second difference with the second constraint condition. This is the design device described in Supplementary Note 1 or 2, characterized in that

[0094] (Supplementary Note 4) The design device described in Supplementary Note 3, wherein the at least one processor, as the output processing, displays as the analysis information: a first analysis image that displays, in a superimposed manner, the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made by executing the judgment processing and the first difference extracted by executing the analysis processing; a second analysis image that displays, in a superimposed manner, the configuration of the provisional system after the redesign processing is performed when the second non-satisfaction judgment is made by executing the judgment processing and the second difference extracted by executing the analysis processing; and the first constraint condition and the second constraint condition.

[0095] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1, 1A Design device 3 Output unit (output means) 3A Display unit (output means) 6 System configuration 7A, 7B Implementation patterns 8A, 8B Other provisional systems (provisional systems subjected to redesign processing) 9 Completed system 51 Design unit (design means) 52 Determination unit (determination means) 54 Analysis unit (analysis means) 55 Display control unit (display control means) SIF Success information FIF-A, FIF-C, FIF-E First failure information FIF-B, FIF-D, FIF-F Second failure information AIF Analysis information

Claims

1. A system comprising: an output means; a design means for designing an incomplete provisional system including a first candidate element that is a candidate for a system configuration; and a judgment means for judging whether or not the provisional system designed by the design means satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration, wherein the design means, when the judgment means makes a satisfaction judgment that the provisional system satisfies the plurality of constraints, executes a redesign process to include a second candidate element that is a candidate for the system configuration in the provisional system; the judgment means executes a re-judgment process to judge whether or not the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process satisfies the plurality of constraints, and the output means outputs: success information including the configuration of the completed system in a completed state designed by the design means; and, when the judgment means makes a first non-satisfaction judgment that the provisional system does not satisfy a first constraint of the plurality of constraints, first failure information including the judgment result of the judgment means, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint. a design device that, when the judgment means makes a second non-satisfaction judgment that the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process does not satisfy a second constraint condition among the plurality of constraint conditions, outputs the judgment result of the judgment means, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process, and second failure information that includes the second constraint condition.

2. The design device of claim 1, further comprising an analysis means for analyzing the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means based on the success information and the first failure information, and analyzing the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process when the second non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means based on the success information and the second failure information, and wherein the output means further outputs analysis information indicating the analysis results of the analysis means.

3. The design device described in claim 2, wherein the analysis means extracts a first difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system when the first non-satisfaction judgment is made by the judgment means, and a second difference between the configuration of the completed system and the configuration of the provisional system after the redesign process is performed when the judgment means makes the second non-satisfaction judgment, and associates the extracted first difference with the first constraint and the extracted second difference with the second constraint.

4. The design device described in claim 3, wherein the output means displays as the analysis information: a first analysis image that displays, in a superimposed manner, the configuration of the provisional system when the judgment means has made the first non-satisfaction judgment and the first difference extracted by the analysis means; a second analysis image that displays, in a superimposed manner, the configuration of the provisional system after the redesign process has been performed when the judgment means has made the second non-satisfaction judgment and the second difference extracted by the analysis means; and the first constraint and the second constraint.

5. A design method executed by one or more computers, comprising: an output step; a design step of designing an incomplete provisional system including a first candidate element that is a candidate for a system configuration; and a judgment step of judging whether or not the provisional system designed in the design step satisfies a plurality of constraints imposed on the system configuration, wherein in the design step, if a satisfaction judgment that the plurality of constraints is satisfied is made in the judgment step, a redesign process is executed to include a second candidate element that is a candidate for the system configuration in the provisional system, and in the judgment step, a re-judgment process is executed to judge whether or not the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process satisfies the plurality of constraints, and in the output step, success information including the configuration of the completed system in a completed state designed in the design step, and first failure information including the judgment result in the judgment step, the configuration of the provisional system, and the first constraint, when a first non-satisfaction judgment that a first constraint of the plurality of constraints is not satisfied is made in the judgment step, A design method, in which, when a second non-satisfaction judgment is made in the judgment step to indicate that the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process does not satisfy a second constraint condition among the plurality of constraint conditions, the judgment result in the judgment step, the configuration of the provisional system that has been subjected to the redesign process, and second failure information including the second constraint condition are output.

6. A design program for causing a computer to operate as the design device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the program causes the computer to function as the output means, the design means, and the determination means.

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